?<strong>Chapter 503:</strong>


    After a moment of silence, Ryan looked at Lucas and said, “Lucas, Verena really loves you. She can’t survive without you. Her mental state is too fragile, and she can’t take any more pressure. Could you and Belinda hold off on your rtionship for now? Just until Verena makes it through this critical time?”


    Lucas’ expression remained unchanged.


    Calmly, Lucas said, “I will arrange for top psychological experts to treat Verena daily until she recovers.” Ryan’s face fell instantly. He couldn’t believe it. After everything he had said and what had happened to Verena, Lucas remained cold and indifferent.


    “Lucas, how can you be so cold? I’m only asking for a little more time. Is that too much?” Ryan’s voice was tinged with reproach.


    “My feelings aren’t up for negotiation,” Lucas responded, his tone cold and unwavering.


    Ryan was caught off guard by his words. Before Ryan could respond, Lucas continued, “Suicide doesn’t solve anything. Does Verena truly believe that by doing this, I’ll choose to be with her?” His voice remained calm, devoid of emotion. But Ryan could detect a subtle trace of mockery in his words.


    Ryan was at a loss for words for a moment. He felt as if something had lodged in his throat, choking him into silence. What Lucas had just said was precisely what Ryan had been thinking. That was why he and Verena had devised this n—to use Verena’s suicide attempt as leverage to make Lucas change his mind. They believed that by making Lucas feel guilty, there might be an opportunity for Verena to win his heart back.


    But Ryan had never anticipated Lucas would react this way. Lucas was disturbingly calm and indifferent. This was a life-or-death situation! And it wasn’t just anyone’s life at risk—it was someone Lucas had once cared for deeply.


    In that instant, Ryan fully grasped just how cold-hearted Lucas was. For a moment, he was at aplete loss for words. After a while, he stood from the bench. “I’m going to check on Verena now,” he said, before striding inside the hospital room.


    Less than a minuteter, Ryan rushed out of the room. “Lucas, Verena is awake! You need toe and see her.”


    At this, Lucas immediately stood up and walked into the room with purposeful, long strides.


    Upon awakening, Verena found herself in a harrowing state. Herplexion was ghostly pale, her lips devoid of color. She looked utterly weak.


    “Verena, how could you even think of doing such a thing? Life is too precious for you to throw away. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever!” Ryan’s voice trembled with worry and sorrow.


    Verena, however, remained impassive, barely lifting her eyelids to meet his gaze before whispering, “I’m sorry for making you worry about me.”


    “Then please,” Ryan said earnestly, “promise me you’ll never do something like this again.”


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